Levels To Be Particularly Careful Of

[strausbaughwp]

Of course there are dangers to every level, but going through I have noted a few in particular that can be deadly with one shot and a slightly frustrating way to die if you are not prepared for them. Thought I would list the ones that came to mind out so you all can learn from my mistakes!

Cycorp Industries Level 4: Consumer Testing
My first death, never carry an explosive through the lasers at each point in the map. They will explode shortly after you walk through and provide an instant death. Disable a laser by going to the security checkpoint and using it to be able to carry the explosive. Also found on this map are puddles of water with electricity flowing through them. If you step on a puddle while it is being electrocuted, it will make you the past president of the being alive club.

Cycorp Industries Level 3: Product Development
The commandos found in this level (with the ARC cannons) seem to rival some enemies from the Delta-7 levels, and it is easy to get overwhelmed in these areas. Therefore, it is best to enter this level with friends, and more importantly to make sure that you do not rush in without a strategy.

Delta-7 Mining Facilities
There are spots in each (or at least I know the first two) map where rocks will fall at certain points in the maps. There are two strategies to beat this. The first is to run back to safety when the screen starts to shake and you sense that the rocks are about to fall. I would recommended either asking someone where each collapse in when you get in game (as they are hard to describe on the forum), or to test out where the rocks will fall and then to note their locations for later reference. Second, and much more dangerous, is to just run straight through them, which is what I had been doing for a long time. Usually, you can make it across without being hurt, but there is no guarantee that things will work in your favor. There is one in particular that has proven to be difficult to pass (and provided me with my second death), and that is the second rock collapse on the left side of Dead Man's Cave. Overall, the better strategy is to develop patience and to wait for them to fall before proceeding, but I know that can be difficult to do.

I am sure that I have missed a few, so if you have any additions of things that players should be conscious of to avoid a quick death, feel free to reply.

[Otukura]

--When you see a brown rock sticking out of the ground, that's where the rocks fall.
--For CI-3, it's all about targeting; by default you'll target the commandos because they're in front. If you tap the people behind them it's an easy 2 hit auto as an OP, and the commandos do almost no damage

And I posted this in another thread, it could go here to show which levels are easier:
Goes DL-RSP-CL-D7

1
2
301
402
50301
00402
0050301
0000402
0000503
0000004
0000005

The map I made is a bit confusing, but to me, the overlapping ones are around the same difficulty.

[bronislav84]

Do they only collapse once or every time somebody runs through it?

Corp 3 Commandos handed me my second death (Pots did squat in that fight because although each hit ain't much, these attacks come in chunks all at once and are quicker than Empathy could heal), and small electrified water the first death. Also it is worth mentioning that there's another electrified water spot before boss in Corp 4: Consumer Testing that has to be turned off. It can kill people who just rush.

[Derajdefyre]

I can't believe you didn't include the Whacked Out Juicer level. At the end when you fight the boss plus four regular Juicers is insane. Yes, you can fight the four alone without aggroing the boss, but they spawn so far away that most groups engage the boss before realizing there are four guys coming behind you. Also, even just the four alone are enough to destroy most groups.

[strausbaughwp]

@Derajdefyre: Been forever since I played that level, so I forgot to include it. Thanks for the post.

@Bronislav84: They only collapse the first time someone runs through them. So after you cause them to drop the first time, there is nothing else to worry about for that particular collapse.

[strausbaughwp]

And the electrocuted water before the boss that must be turned off is the fourth level: Consumer Testing, where all the explosives are.

[bronislav84]

Wow I can't believe I double posted. Apologies. The second post has what I meant to say after some confirming, and ignore the first.

The Wacked out Juicer can actually be soloed with enough patience if you're not an Eng, and I've done it with zero pots at level 4 on a Com and a Op. It involves Neutron Stomp or Flame. After running to reset them, pick one Juicer, attack him and only him while backing away to get ready to reset them, run to reset when he's down. With proper timing your health will be low but you won't die, and that's how I did it until I was left with just the boss. For boss stun/knock the crap out of him and use every skill while running around because although he has range, it is just slightly less than you. They all hit like a truck at melee and prefer it, but their ranged damage is much weaker when it does hit. You may have to pot once or twice if you're an Op. He will die before your health goes into danger level a second time. With two people following this strategy it just happens quicker, and 3 or more with a balanced party can usually rush in no problem.

Sadly even with three Engineers we were unable to down him at the content level and had to resort to asking a higher level for help. We had him down to half health and I'd used like 50 pots "tanking" him, but we drew him out too far and he reset. His leash is shorter than the others. He seems to have either high armor, high health regen, or both. We just didn't have enough DPS and the misses weren't helping any.

This encounter is plenty soloable at the content level if you don't rush in guns blazing, but is waaaaaaaay too hard for the average newbie or even party of newbies to accomplish without deaths. I'd say it qualifies as a "wtf pwned instantly" situation and is a good candidate to be added to the first post to give people prior warning. If you're not informed beforehand, both the Juicer and the start of Corp 3 are "wtf pwned instantly" scenarios. Corp 3 particularly because it's near the start so you're often doomed if solo and at the content level or under. Not only is there nowhere far enough to run, but another group is waiting to be agroed nearby.

Hope that helps you Dera.

The Miner boss also has a one hit kill attack as far as I had explained to me, and it can't be avoided. He will kill one player every time he uses it. There are also rocks and bombs which contribute to the carnage of killing players.

[Epic Unicorns!]

My worst places are the puddles in CyCorp, and to this day I have never beat the miner. At first I didn't realize the puddles were killing me, so they were among my first few deaths haha.

[Otukura]

The Miner boss also has a one hit kill attack as far as I had explained to me, and it can't be avoided. He will kill one player every time he uses it. There are also rocks and bombs which contribute to the carnage of killing players.

It does one hit, but only if you're in range -- if you constantly kite him you should be fine. I suggest don't use ANY attack spells or auto attack, and instead only buff.


My worst places are the puddles in CyCorp, and to this day I have never beat the miner. At first I didn't realize the puddles were killing me, so they were among my first few deaths haha.

Same :) 4-5 deaths that way.

[bronislav84]

Or avoid the Miner fight entirely and find nice people who will let you leech the kill for quest credit. Yes, I know this is contrary to farming, his drops are currently the best in the game, and it's what I should be doing at 20, but I'd prefer to have a low death count.

[Derajdefyre]

My worst places are the puddles in CyCorp, and to this day I have never beat the miner. At first I didn't realize the puddles were killing me, so they were among my first few deaths haha.

The first several times that those puddles killed me I had enemies attacking me at the same time so I thought I was just taking damage quickly (maybe unlucky crits?). I can imagine that people going for a "zero deaths" character will be pissed off, but I have never liked the idea of zero death characters and if you're into that kind of thing you should learn the game thoroughly on a different character first.

[ratava]

I hope some of the challenge in SL will circumvent just spamming pots eg "nasty surprises" always go down well with me at least. :p

Makes me think that the devs KNEW I or other ppl would blunder into their carefully planned trap... :banana:

[Raulur]

People also need to know that the person planting bombs CANNOT finish planting it if they take damage. Stand BETWEEN where the mobs are spawning and the person planting it is, NOT and I repeat NOT behind them.

Getting very sick of noobs not wanting to work together and complaining when you can't get 5 seconds to plant the bomb. "Just plant the stupid bomb" "come on"

If the person is having trouble, the rest of the party are to blame.

[Flowman]

People also need to know that the person planting bombs CANNOT finish planting it if they take damage. Stand BETWEEN where the mobs are spawning and the person planting it is, NOT and I repeat NOT behind them.

Getting very sick of noobs not wanting to work together and complaining when you can't get 5 seconds to plant the bomb. "Just plant the stupid bomb" "come on"

If the person is having trouble, the rest of the party are to blame.
you can stand anywhere in the room, doesn't have to be around the bomb planter.

As long as the people are constantly attacking it shouldn't be an issue. Also using skills, especially AOE skills and aggro skills make the bugs run right past the bomb planter. I find tapping attack opposed to auto attacking is faster.

[Raulur]

It has been my experience that it is much easier to shield when you stand between the person and the spawns. I can shield a person just fine in a two person game that way as enginner with no taunt and only one AOE skill.

[Derajdefyre]

Regarding the bomb planting, the second bomb is very difficult to plant even if your team is doing well. The fire spits out in intervals that are shorter than the amount of time you have to plant the bomb. I always though that once you were "channeling" you couldn't move, but that is not correct. You need to walk into planting range, start planting the bomb, then take a couple steps away while it finishes planting or you will be burned.

[bronislav84]

I think the intervals for the fire are identical to the amount of time needed to plant. I didn't know you could move while it counts, and I was able to plant it without moving. Just had to start immediately after the fire went down. Took a couple tries, but I got it and didn't move

[Quientar]

When the explosive in the fire, start planting it, then back away a hair. It will not disrupt your planting and you will not catch on fire. Also, start planting it from one of the corners of the grate, not the sides. Once I figured that out, ive never caught fire olanting that explosive.

[Nourish]

Thanka for the info :)